With almost two years of not being able to hold any events, George Town Festival is finally back again. The George Town Festival (GTF) was first held in 2010 in honour of the city’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This year, it will be held from 9th to 24th July.
Themed “A Festival for Everyone”, the Festival continues its commitment to making arts accessible to everyone – from the festival-goers to the art communities, the general public and the underprivileged, regardless of age, ethnicity or background – all while aiming to inspire generations of arts lovers and practitioners. It also encourages creativity and originality by providing a platform for creative talents to showcase their works.
Festival-goers can expect to uncover impressive performances and activities revolving around various themes in unlikeliest settings, from indoor performing spaces to hidden spots and unique venues. The Festival will take you to experience the state’s diverse arts and culture scene encompassing visual art, theatre, music, dance, film, photography and more in a brand new way.
Some of the GTF 2022 programmes includes:
Moments
Presented by George Town Festival, Moments showcases images of unforgettable moments and scenes of contemporary Penang captured through the lenses of lifelong Penangites and photographers Patrick Loo, Sean Lim and Yih Chang. These images evoke elusive memories, inspiring a profound desire to create and capture more moments specific to the Penang experience that lasts a lifetime.
A Starry Night Recital
Dubbed “the prince of love ballads”, Malaysian artiste Abin Fang will be performing live in his online recital at 7:30 pm on 15 February 2022, which coincides with Chap Goh Mei, also known as the Chinese Valentine’s Day in Southeast Asia. On this romantic occasion, fans from Malaysia and beyond are welcomed to partake in an evening of auditory pleasure with Abin Fang’s celebrated works.
G-Short
G-Short is a short film festival held as part of the George Town Festival to celebrate the endless imagination and possibilities a 90-second short film can bring about. Following the resounding success of the inaugural edition in 2021, G-Short returns for the second edition in July 2022.
Penang at a Glance
Presented by George Town Festival, Penang at a Glance is a collection of photographs captured from the lenses of four local photographers coming from four different backgrounds. The book showcases Penang’s breathtaking landscapes, festivals, celebrations, arts, culture, heritage, people and lifestyles.
Tanjong Life: The New Norm
Presented by George Town Festival, Tanjong Life: The New Norm is a comic book illustrated by Penang-born cartoonist Azmi Hussin. Follow the funny adventures of Joe G – Azmi’s buck-toothed, true-blue Penangite character – as he explores the amusing and the not-so-amusing sides of the new normal in Penang!
A Nostalgic Journey
Be prepared to embark on a nostalgic journey through these uniquely Penang icons — the ferry and the trishaw. In collaboration with Penang-born artist Lefty Julian, George Town Festival is releasing two notebooks featuring a ferry and a trishaw, respectively, in 2021. Join us in taking a walk down memory lane while jotting your way through these exquisite notebooks that can be found nowhere else.
A Notebook
Glimpse into the spirit of the George Town Festival while jotting your way through “A Notebook”. The notebook is meticulously handcrafted by Penang-based stationery producer Muccapaper featuring four creative, one-of-a-kind doodles with stories about the Festival illustrated by Yuki Koe.
Arts to Your Doorstep
“Arts to Your Doorstep” is an online marketplace to buy and sell unique art pieces and rare, handmade items created by local artists and artisans. Started in 2021 by George Town Festival to support homegrown artists by promoting and selling their artworks online.
Remember to book your calendar and enjoy the celebrations in George Town! For more information, you can browse the website here.
